Patriotic Tips for a DIY Bathroom Renovation

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I caught a little slack from my buddies recently because…well, I’m cheap. According to them, any good American would hire “the man” to complete work for them. It drives the economy, helps small business, and contributes to society. Well, I didn’t listen. I did it myself and in the end, I did wish I hired someone. Plumbing isn’t the easiest task. So, if you’re planning to renovate your bathroom? Try the following tips.

Bathroom remodel services have been increasing in popularity, but if you want to give your bathroom a makeover, it won’t hurt to try and do it yourself. While there is no shortage of DIY guidelines online, there are several things you need to mull over before starting.bath remodel

How Much Can You Afford?

The remodeling plan must always start with your budget. Knowing how much you can afford is going to determine what types of materials you can buy and the extent of your renovation. To put it simply, setting aside a budget before anything else is going to make it easier for you to decide what parts to renovate and what not to tamper with.

Go Green

Going green is not just good for the environment but good for you too. A lot of bathroom products sport attractive designs, lowers your power consumption and they[re also chemical free, which is always a good thing. The good thing about going green is you don’t always have to buy something new, as it can be as simple as painting the cabinet instead of throwing it in the dump.

Refinishing Saves Money

Consider refinishing your bathroom tiles, sink, shower or tub rather than buy replacements. Refinishing is cheaper (up to 90% more affordable than replacements), and when it’s done right your bathroom will look as good as new. More importantly, refinishing doesn’t take too much time so you don’t have to wait long before you can use it.

Don’t Mess with Working Components

Unless there’s something wrong with the plumbing, don’t mess with it or other components if they’re working properly. Replacing the toilet and sink might seem easy, but the process is quite complex and unless you know what you’re doing, this could get very expensive and more trouble than its worth. Generally speaking, you’re better off spending money on shower systems and other aesthetic pieces than moving fixtures.bathroom remodeling

Know Your Skill Level

This one is self-explanatory; how good are you when it comes to DIY? You need to be honest here so you don’t end up with a big mess later. Before you start, make a list of the renovations you can do yourself and those that are better left to the professional. There’s nothing wrong with admitting the limits of your skillset, and it will save you money and time later on.

Don’t forget Lighting

If your goal is to install even lighting, install sconce lights, as this will illuminate your face uniformly and remove shadows. If you’d rather opt for a more relaxed atmosphere, dim lighting will do, while bright lights are essential if you often use your bathroom for applying makeup or shaving.

Ventilation

Moisture is the biggest enemy of any bathroom, and unless this issue is addressed it will lead to mildew and mold, and together these two will ruin whatever renovation you have done. To prevent this from happening, you should install a ventilation fan with the right amount of CFMs for your bathroom’s square footage. The general rule when it comes to CFMs is one CFM per square ft. for bathrooms that measure 100 sq. ft. or less. Today’s fans are also more sophisticated so there’s no need to worry about the noise.

Splurge on at Least One Item

The reason you’re renovating your bathroom is to make it look better, so it’s all right to set aside part of the budget to splurge on a bathroom item or two. All you need to do is choose the part of the bathroom you like the most and spruce it up. It can be a heated towel rack, a vanity top, a shower fixture, etc. Spending some money on it is not going to hurt and could pay off in the future.

Use Accent Tiles

Glass and mosaic tiles are costly, but there’s no need to splurge since accent tiles will  be more than enough to give your bathroom a different look. Special tiles are handy for breaking up the monotony and adding a dash of style.

Last but not the least, if your in my area, don’t hesitate to call a Lafayette bathroom remodel expert (or someone in your own town) if you don’t feel up to it or made a mistake. If you find this article useful, feel free to share this with other DIY enthusiasts like yourself! See, I’m sharing! How’s that for patriotism!

Lifting the Veil

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MericaPresidential candidates are still one of the most talked about news stories all over the United States and social media. A name I know I would not have guessed in a billion years, Donald Trump, is probably one of the most talked about due to his flashy image and his carefree attitude. He will say what he is thinking without regard and a lot of people like it. The ongoing theory is that Donald Trump already has a ton of money so the common problem of politicians accepting money or donations in exchange for favors. If this is true I can imagine it would be a historical moment in politics, but probably not. After watching House of Cards, I feel like I really understand what happens in Washington. Because, you know, television shows are reality! If there is any hint of reality in this show though, that means no matter how rich you are there are still ways that the politics games can be played, one sacrifice on a bill to gain ground on another. I think this may prove that it doesn’t matter who gets in to office, the people need to stand for what they agree on or believe in.  No matter what the politicians are capable of in Washington, the people can hold the power over them; at least that’s what we would like to believe. I really would like to believe that we have the ability and can come together to oppose this wrongdoing, but with the events that have occurred here recently, I am not quite sure about that anymore. It seems like every time there is some key legislation to be passed, a national media spotlight hits and grabs the country’s attention. Gay marriage, racism, mass shootings, they are all things that have been recently brought into the spotlight by the media. It just so happens that while this was going on, some piece of legislation was passed and got little attention from the media. Some may say the public is being kept in the dark, but I think we are doing it to ourselves. The weak become the flock and the others become the stragglers or the rebels. Those people that have the wool over their eyes are focused on the media attention and if anyone says that there are bigger issues, they are called crazy or conspiracy theorists. I hope the blanket is lifted soon and people can see what is really going on in this word. We are definitely in need of some help and I can only hope that someone new in the seat can drive us at least into the right direction.

Leeches of America

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I saw a post on social media today that really brought into perspective the decrease in concern for the American way of life. It said something to the effect of “Many years ago, you people were ready to fight over a two percent tax increase on a breakfast beverage. Where are you now?” This makes you think doesn’t it? The Boston Tea Party cause an uproar and now people will knowingly let the government take away their freedoms and over tax the working public with no recourse. For far too long we have let the leeches of society grow and fester into true blood suckers. I watch people every day abuse the provisions given to them that were meant to aid people in their most difficult times of need. A provision designed to aid someone to return to transition back into the workforce, now used as a source of income for a large percent of capable workers.

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Even some of the workers at fast food establishments are in an uproar due to low wages. I agree that workers should be paid a justifiable wage but when you flip burgers or wrap sandwiches or just cut grass (even if you are the best landscaper in New Orleans) for a living, you can’t expect to provide for an entire family on that wage. Those jobs are meant to supply entry level position experience to young Americans. From Louisiana to L.A. it’s the same across the country.  We are meant to step up after that experience into higher level, more demanding positions and work our way up the ladder. Some low wage workers will find out the hard way to be careful what you wish for. If they make more money they lose the qualifications for all of the government assistance they currently receive. I doubt for a moment they would even fight for higher wages if they realized it. I have been in the situation where I make too much money to qualify for assistance for anything but not enough to afford things I need.  Even medical insurance, given for free to so many non-workers, was too expensive for me to be able to afford when I lost my job unexpectedly.  For something that was designed to aid those in need to be completely out of reach to them is completely absurd. The American people need to stand up and VOTE for what they believe in. They need to stop allowing politicians to come in and allow the leeches to continue to bleed this country dry. There becomes no effective incentive for an American to work hard anymore. You work hard for what? To pay for those people sitting down not doing anything, but eating better food, going to better schools, and enjoying time with their family while you sit at work day after day scrounging every dollar. We need leaders like those who fought for what they believed in during the revolution to stand up for what we deserve today.  What’s your opinion on this topic… contact us and share the knowledge!

Hail the Queen?

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Who is running for president? It almost seems like we started talking about the presidential race for the replacement of Barack Obama almost as soon as he was elected to his final term. Hilary Clinton was one of the big names that everyone knew would throw her hat in the ring to become the next leader of the country. Would she be the first woman to become president? Let’s discuss that for a moment. Although I do not have any hang ups about electing a woman as president, many people do. They feel that a woman could not show the aggressive or steadfast persona that a male president could in the face of potential enemies. Some people may feel that a woman would show too much compassion and not lead us into war if necessary. Hell, some people don’t feel women could lead the way in a car or boat! (Sidenote: my wife isn’t the best driver either)

Elections

Elections

In my opinion, it isn’t the president that does this, it is congress. I do agree that our president would need to be able to present our country as one that will not cower in the threat of enemy action. It seems the public thinks that is one of our issues today, our country seems weak and powerless to other countries. Even though I think a woman would definitely be able to handle the position, I do not think Hilary is the person to do it. There is so much uncertainty when it comes to what she actually stands for. She has flip flopped her beliefs and she has been shrouded in a cloud of misdirection.  So much controversy with the current president has involved or been supported by Hilary Clinton. It almost seems like electing her would be the same as electing Obama back into the position. Hilary may be shrouded in mystery but what about her age? She is almost 70 years old and age played a factor in previous races between male opponents.  How do you think this will be debated amongst candidates?

Chuck for President

They gave Bob Dole a hard time about his age when he ran, so I imagine opponents will make a lot of stink about it during the debates. With the uncertainty of her position of certain highly debated subjects, her age, and possible involvement in scandals, I think she has an uphill battle to fight. Hopefully the Republican party has someone good to put up on their side to take some of the spotlight away from Hilary on the Democratic side. I doubt she gets the nomination but you never know these days what will happen. Americans are becoming so weird in their reactions and feelings that no morals are left. I totally agree in equality, but equality for the sake of perception is not smart. People just care what other people think. I have no problem electing any qualified person to the position, but electing someone who is not qualified just because of equality and being the first African American, Chinese, female, or, alien president is not what the position is intended for. Contact us and let us know what you think.